The New York Mets and the Texas Rangers completed a blockbuster in a one-for-one deal between Mets lifer, Brandon Nimmo, and Rangers captain, Marcus Semien. It was a situation that worked out financially and positionally for both teams, but what did it cost, and who won the trade?

The Mets have ranked first in Major League Baseball with a payroll of $323,099,999, and the Rangers ranked sixth with a payroll of $220,541,332. The Rangers have said that they are looking to lower their payroll for the 2026 season. Nimmo has five years left on his current contract, while Semien has three years left. Semien is three years older than Nimmo, so that fans can look at the trade with both pros and cons for both teams. The Mets have a strong farm system so that Nimmo could see limited playing time over the next few seasons. Many Mets fans are upset with the trade, but it is also a win for Nimmo, as he will remain an everyday player for the Rangers. 

Brandon Nimmo

The New York Mets’ longest-tenured player, Brandon Nimmo, began his professional baseball career with the New York Mets organization in June 2011, before making his Major League debut on June 26, 2016. Nimmo, 32, quickly became one of the most popular players to put on a Mets uniform because of his incredible defense and offense at the plate. Following the 2022 season, Nimmo tested free agency and ultimately signed an eight-year, $162 million deal to stay with the Mets, a move many believed would keep him in the orange and blue for the duration of his career. Nimmo said in an interview following his press conference, “It feels good to put this jersey back and know it’s not coming off.” Three years later, the jersey is coming off as Nimmo heads to Texas wearing a new jersey. 

Nimmo was a consistent player year in and year out and always put in maximum effort every day he stepped on the field. Over Nimmo’s 10 years wearing a big league uniform for the Mets, he had a .262 batting average, 135 home runs, 32 triples, 188 doubles, 54 stolen bases, 463 RBI, and 593 runs scored. 

In a recent press conference, the Texas Rangers held for Brandon Nimmo, Nimmo said he received a phone call from the Mets’ president of Baseball operations, David Sterns. Sterns mentioned the trade to Nimmo. In the contract Nimmo signed with the Mets was a no-trade clause, which meant he could not be traded without his approval. After a few days of thinking it over and talking to family and friends, it was ultimately decided that Nimmo would accept the deal. Nimmo said, “The Mets would not have brought this trade if they didn’t feel like it put the Mets in the best position to win going forward. They made it very apparent that they weren’t actively shopping me but that the Rangers really, really, really wanted me.”

Marcus Semien

Semien, 35, was viewed as the unofficial captain of the Texas Rangers because of his leadership in the clubhouse and on and off the field. 

Semien has played in the big leagues over his last 13 years with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, and Texas Rangers. In 2021, Semien signed a seven-year deal with the Texas Rangers for $145 million. It is important to note that Semien did not have a no-trade clause, but had teams listed that he did not want to be traded to. The Mets were not on the list. 

He is a three-time All-Star and helped the Rangers win their first World Series in franchise history in 2023. In the 13 years that he has played in the big leagues, he has a .253 batting average, 253 home runs, 323 doubles, 36 triples, 801 RBI, and 968 runs scored.

In a press conference with SNY, Semien said, “And as I became a professional, I realized the kind of player I want to be. I want to be a player who plays every single day, runs every single ball out, and is talented. Talent is also important in this game. So I’m still doing that, and it’s a huge part of who I am.”